• Principle 1: If you like your current course of study, consider staying in it.

Commentary:
It is amazing how many people see their undergraduate careers as some kind of "pre-law" holding period. In choosing a career the most important consideration should be whether it makes you happy and fulfilled. You will have many careers during your life. You should think of your undergraduate years as training for any of a number of different careers.

• Principle 2: Consider doing a graduate degree.

Commentary:
There are two reasons for this. The first is simply that if you like doing something there is no reason not to continue. The second is that certain fields of law are becoming extremely specialized. To be effective in that area may require very specialized background knowledge.

• Principle 3: Take courses which will force you to learn to write!

Commentary:
Writing is the stock and trade of all law students and some lawyers. I have never known a good law student or good lawyer who did not also have good writing skills. These skills must be developed before entering law school. I once attended a lecture given by F. Lee Bailey (a famous
criminal lawyer). During the question and answer period a student asked for some advice about what courses to take prior to law school. Mr. Bailey replied:

English, English, English, English, and English!

• Principle 4: Take courses that will teach you how to learn and how to continue to learn.

Commentary:
Your mind and your learning skills are your most important assets. Your undergraduate years are a special time when you have the opportunity to develop them. Don't blow this opportunity!

• Principle 5: Learn at least one foreign language.

Commentary:
Most North Americans do not speak more than one language. The days of North American world dominance are over. Citizens of most other countries (including our biggest trading partners) speak a number of languages. The more languages you speak the more competitive and employable you will be! Business is becoming increasingly international. If you do not speak at least one foreign language you will be at an extreme disadvantage. In many parts of the world people speak more than four languages.

• Principle 6: Career choices are serious business. They should be researched thoroughly.

Commentary:
There are a number of books about law school and the legal profession. Read them. Talk to lawyers. Talk to law students. Many undergraduate schools have "Pre-Law Clubs". Join them. They frequently have very interesting speakers and events. Every year I organize an event which I call "Pre-Law Forum." I bring together admissions personnel, lawyers, law students, and law professors for one tremendous information day. In addition, I run a complete educational program for pre-law students.

• Principle 7: You will invest time in your career choices. Make sure that you choose a career because you and only you wish to pursue it.

Commentary:
I have encountered many students who have no real interest in law school. They are preparing for the LSAT because of parental pressure or pressure from another source. You owe it to yourself to resist this kind of pressure. After all, you must live with your decisions. Your parents don't.

• Principle 8: Don't ever think in terms of one career. Never say: I have to decide what one thing I want to do the rest of my life!

Commentary:
The world is in a period of turbulent change. It is unlikely that any of you will be able to or will want to stay in one career your whole working life. Never exclude anything you like to do! Think of law as being one of your many careers. Try to incorporate other careers into law. Life and careers should be thought of as a period of continual growth and change.

• Principle 9: The only good reason to attend professional school is because you would like to study the subject that is being taught!

Commentary:
Going to law school is one thing. Becoming a lawyer and practicing law is another. Many people attend law school and never become lawyers. Law school is not trade school, but it is an academic experience. It is important that you enjoy it. The chances are that if you don't like law school you won't be a good enough lawyer to ever enjoy being a lawyer.

• Principle 10: When in law school try to pick up a joint degree.

Commentary -
Learn to leverage your time. A joint degree can only help you. A joint degree may be defined as graduating from law school with a joint degree in either two disciplines or two law degrees. Examples of joint degree programs include: Law/MBA, Law/Economics, Law/Environmental Studies, Law/ Social Work, joint Civil Law/Common Law programs...

• Principle 11: In law school, be adventurous when selecting your courses!

Commentary -
Don't view law school as being some kind of trade school. View it as an opportunity to expand your mind and expand your interests. Select courses that you know nothing about! You might realize that you are fascinated by a subject that you never knew existed. Remember the bumper sticker that said:

"When my ship came in, I was at the airport!"

My point is that law school is an opportunity to discover new interests. Make sure that you are paying attention!

• Principle 12: Set and work within the framework of goals!

Commentary -
Dreams are important. But, without goals dreams will always remain dreams. The setting of a firm goal is what is required to turn a dream into reality. I once saw a sign that read:

"Goals are nothing but dreams with a deadline."

Successful people always work within the framework of goals!

• Principle 13: Respect and embrace the principle of hard work!

Commentary -
The world is full of opportunity. With few exceptions hard work is required to reap the benefits of these opportunities.

I'm sure that you have heard of Clarence Darrow who was a very famous American lawyer. At the end of his career he gave a speech. At the end of the speech a member of the audience asked the following question.

"Mr Darrow, to what do you owe your success?"

Clarence Darrow replied,

"I owe my success to hard work. When I was young my father had me out on the farm growing potatoes. Because the work was so hard, I became a lawyer and haven't worked a day since."

The truth is that nobody works harder than a successful lawyer!

• Principle 14: Don't focus exclusively on opportunities that already exist. Focus on opportunities that you can create!

Commentary:
What if Bill Gates had said, "I can't have a career in computers. There are no software companies that exist!" Bill Gates created an opportunity. He had vision! He created a whole industry! The point is that you should think beyond the opportunities that exist today. Create your own! Look for problems in society. Everywhere you see a problem, there is an opportunity for a new career for someone! It might as well be you!

• Principle 15: The Most Important Principle!

Make the decision to be a success!

Commentary:
A necessary condition for success is that one has made a decision to be a success! Far too many people give up in the face of adversity. Sometimes adversity can take the form of a low grade or a low LSAT score. Most people become discouraged and simply give up. Others make the decision to overcome the adversity and achieve their goals!

One of my best friends is a very prominent lawyer in a large firm. We were good friends during our undergraduate years. He decided that he wanted to become a lawyer. The first time that he took the LSAT he scored in approximately the 20th percentile. (That is a very low score.) Convinced that he had made some errors in filling in his answer sheet, he tried the test again. He received approximately the same score. It was a truly devastating experience for him. But rather than give up, he made the decision that he was going to score high enough to get into law school.

He worked and worked and worked. He did the test three more times for a total of five times. But, before each test he worked hard and developed the strategies and principles that were the key to success. His third score was higher but still relatively low. His fourth score was average. The LSAT in February of 1981 was his fifth attempt. He scored in the 85th percentile. Why the slow but dramatic improvement? Because, he made the decision that he wanted to do well!

 

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• Reproduced with permission from Mastering The LSAT - How To Prepare
  Effectively And Successfully.  Copyright John Richardson 1994, 1998, 2000.
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